|
Permit Revision No. 8, Box Canyon Revision, was originally received by the Division on
<br /> March 2, 1998. The Revision was deemed complete on March 11, 1998, and appropriate
<br /> agencies were notified of the application by letters that same date. Notice of the application
<br /> was published in the Delta Independent on March 25, April 1, 8, and 15, 1998. Division
<br /> adequacy review letters were sent to Mountain Coal Company on May 8, 1998, December 15,
<br /> 1998, April 1, 1999, and April 30, 1999. All concerns were adequately addressed by
<br /> Mountain Coal Company. A final AVS (Applicant Violator System) check was completed on
<br /> January 25, 2000. Mountain Coal Company responses and all comments received from other
<br /> agencies are available for review at the Division office. The proposed decision to approve the
<br /> revision was issued on January 19, 2000.
<br /> Permit Revision No. 9, for coal handling facilities and E-seam access in Sylvester Gulch, was
<br /> first received by the Division on September 14, 1999, and called complete on September 24,
<br /> 1999. The first adequacy letter was sent to the Operator on November 23, 1999. Mountain
<br /> Coal Company is in the process of answering this adequacy review; the due date has been
<br /> extended to August 31, 2001, at the request of the Operator.
<br /> Mountain Coal Co. submitted a permit renewal application (for renewal #4) on January 31,
<br /> 2001, and it was received by the Division on February 2, 2001. The application was found
<br /> incomplete on February 4, 2001, and was called complete on April 12, 2001. An adequacy
<br /> review was conducted but no comments were submitted to the applicant because issues had
<br /> been resolved by an extensive midterm review, the revisions from which had just been
<br /> completed in 2000.
<br /> Operations at the West Elk Mine (WEM) have been conducted under several different names in
<br /> the past. Before 1991, the WEM itself was known as the Mt. Gunnison No. 1 Mine. Since
<br /> the mine opened, operations were conducted under the following names: Anaconda Minerals
<br /> Company, ARCO Coal Company (a Division of Atlantic Richfield Company), and West Elk
<br /> Coal Company, Inc. The name was changed from West Elk Coal Company, Inc., Mt.
<br /> Gunnison No. I Mine, to Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine, and processed by the
<br /> Division as a Succession of Operator. Both companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of the
<br /> Atlantic Richfield Company. The Division issued a proposed decision to approve the name
<br /> change pursuant to Rule 2.08.6(4) on December 20, 1991. The decision was final following
<br /> the public comment period, on January 20, 1992. The permit was subsequently transferred by
<br /> succession of operator to Mountain Coal Co. LLC, a subsidiary of Arch Coal, Inc., on April
<br /> 23, 1998.
<br /> 8
<br />
|